Official 2023 NFL Draft - Round 1-7 Thread (+UDFAs)

[Keith]

The Texans selected C.J. Stroud, QB from Ohio State, with the #2 overall pick.

[Keith]

Holy shit. Big trade up to #3 overall to get DE Will Anderson, Jr.

Gets #3, #105 (4th round) from the Cardinals
Gives up #12, #33, 2024 first and 2024 third.

So...
QB C.J. Stroud - Round 1·Pick 2 (2)
DE Will Anderson, Jr. Round 1·Pick 3 (3) ARI>HOU
Round 3·Pick 2 (65)
Round 3·Pick 10 (73) CLE>HOU
Round 4·Pick 2 (104)
Round 4-Pick 3 (105) ARI>HOU
Round 5·Pick 26 (161) DAL>HOU
Round 6·Pick 11 (188) NO>HOU
Round 6·Pick 24 (201) MIN>HOU
Round 6·Pick 26 (203) NYG>HOU
Round 7·Pick 13 (230) NYJ>TB>HOU
Round 7·Pick 42 (259) COMPENSATORY

[Keith]

Texans really needed a center. Traded up to get one.

C Juice Scruggs, Penn St.

Gave up 65, 188 (6th), 230 (7th) to move up to 62.

QB C.J. Stroud - Round 1·Pick 2 (2)
DE Will Anderson, Jr. Round 1·Pick 3 (3) ARI>HOU
C Juice Scruggs - Round 2·Pick 31 (62) PHI>HOU

Round 3·Pick 10 (73) CLE>HOU
Round 4·Pick 2 (104)
Round 4-Pick 3 (105) ARI>HOU
Round 5·Pick 26 (161) DAL>HOU
Round 6·Pick 24 (201) MIN>HOU
Round 6·Pick 26 (203) NYG>HOU
Round 7·Pick 42 (259) COMPENSATORY

[Keith]

ANOTHER trade up, this time to keep Coogs' WR Nathaniel "Tank" Dell at home.

Texans send 73 and 161 to the Rams for 69 and 191.

QB C.J. Stroud - Round 1·Pick 2 (2)
DE Will Anderson, Jr. - Round 1·Pick 3 (3) ARI>HOU
C Juice Scruggs - Round 2·Pick 31 (62) PHI>HOU
WR Tank Dell - Round 3·Pick 6 (69) LAR>HOU

Round 4·Pick 2 (104)
Round 4-Pick 3 (105) ARI>HOU
Round 6·Pick 14 (191) LAR>HOU
Round 6·Pick 24 (201) MIN>HOU
Round 6·Pick 26 (203) NYG>HOU
Round 7·Pick 42 (259) COMPENSATORY

[Keith]

Caserio proving he is willing to pay the price to move up for the players that he, Ryans, and the team wants. Damn the trade charts... go get your guys. Power moves. I'm not going to cry over the extra picks... Can't have a roster with 30 rookies on it next year.

The new OL is solidifying. The combo of a rookie C to go with a rookie QB is a tad concerning though.

LT: Laremy Tunsil
LG: Kenyon Green
C: Juice Scruggs
RG: Shaq Mason
RT: Tytus Howard
TE: Dalton Schultz

And the WR room is getting better.

Nico Collins
Robert Woods
John Metchie
Tank Dell

Stroud to Collins will be sweet assuming Collins can stay healthy for a full season. Have to like the potential now for how Dell becomes the peanut butter to Nico's chocolate.

[chuck]

I agree, I'm OK with using significant draft capital to get the guys you want if you can. My concern is that I heard that the team wanted to go with Anderson at 2 and sort the QB situation out as it shook out, and they got overruled by ownership. Perhaps someone who knows will confirm or correct what I heard, but if there's any truth to that, that's not good.

On the other hand, if Demeco really wanted Stroud and Anderson (I'm pretty sure he really wanted Anderson, obviously), then fine. I'm not all that worked up by the steep cost.

[Keith]

Since Easterby was dismissed, it seems as if it has been far more difficult to get info and insight to what is happening in the room where it happens on Kirby. These media narratives are increasingly just that... stories. The media craves a narrative, and the Texans aren't giving them out anymore. There's dead air and empty columns still to fill though, so we get whoknowswhat to fill that space.

Cal has said today even that he stepped back in the draft process versus his level of involvement in hiring the head coach.

@BKubena
There has been much speculated about the McNair family’s involvement with the draft. I asked Cal McNair about it. His answer lines up with what I’d heard from multiple people in the weeks leading up to the draft.

https://twitter.com/BKubena/status/1...302592/photo/1

So one can be skeptical that Cal is being honest here, but I tend to believe him and not all the other media cultivated narratives. Cal's dad had the same philosphy, for better or worse. Why wouldn't Cal? Of course Cal may have an opinion on what player he likes and how to get it done - we all have an opinion - but ultimately I don't think he levied any sort of veto power or overruling here.

What little we've seen in the war room and of how this draft has so far played out seems to me that Caserio and Ryans are aligned and McNair is happy to see what they can do together. The picks this weekend are just the results... the real narrative consists of the firing of Easterby, the trading of Watson, and the hiring of Ryans.

Side note on Brooks, who I think has done a really nice job since he began covering this beat... he mentioned he was 12 during the 2006 draft (Mario-VY-Bush)... and man it made me feel old.

But that analogy - that drafting Stroud and Anderson might have been like getting both Mario and Vince, just really helps to encapsulate how unique Thursday was not just for the Texans but for the league. The only other times the same team has had two of the first three picks was '00 (Arrington/Samuels) and '92 (Emtman/Coryatt). The Texans did this with the two most important positions on the field, one on each side of the ball in the passer and the pass rusher. Have to admire the boldness if nothing else.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by chuck

I agree, I'm OK with using significant draft capital to get the guys you want if you can. My concern is that I heard that the team wanted to go with Anderson at 2 and sort the QB situation out as it shook out, and they got overruled by ownership. Perhaps someone who knows will confirm or correct what I heard, but if there's any truth to that, that's not good.

On the other hand, if Demeco really wanted Stroud and Anderson (I'm pretty sure he really wanted Anderson, obviously), then fine. I'm not all that worked up by the steep cost.

Well you know Chuck it's kinda like when you bought that Lamborghini just to park in front of your house to impress all of your snotty-nosed River Oaks neighbors.